A conservative radio station is having a job fair next week just for women. A South Florida group is looking for surrogate mothers to carry a child for couples who can’t have a baby. A perfect match, right? Wrong, and why is the surrogacy group being barred from the women’s job fair? Patrick Fraser has the story in tonight’s “Job Fair?”
They are two organizations with absolutely nothing in common, and then their paths crossed.
Jeannette Ziobro: “I did it to help somebody have a child who couldn’t.”
Jeannette Ziobro was a surrogate mother, carrying the embryo from a couple who could not have a child.
Jeannette Ziobro: “There are single women who do it to supplement their income. There are stay-at-home moms who do it to supplement their income as well, and then they get to stay at home with the kids.”
Today she still sees the twins she carried, and their parents, in what she calls a life-altering delivery.
Jeannette Ziobro: “To look at what I helped create, this beautiful family and these beautiful little girls, just the opportunity to be a part of something so amazing.”
Jeannette was so amazed by what a surrogate could do, she joined with Jeff Kasky to create a company called Life Through Surrogacy.
Jeffrey A. Kasky: “A surrogate can also be a full-time, stay-at-home parent and still be a surrogate. It’s really for everyone who is interested. It’s worth at least looking into it.”
Rich Stevens: “This is the Rich Stevens Show on 850 WFTL.”
As we spoke to Kasky, a few miles away, a conservative radio station was on the air.
Rich Stevens: “WFTL’s Resumes and Roses has something for every woman looking for a career.”
WFTL is promoting a job fair this month just for women, hoping to connect them with companies wanting to hire women.
Steve Lapa: “The spectrum is amazing, really. It’s everybody from Home Depot to New York Life to Carrabba’s Restaurant, thousands and thousands of women getting employment and hopefully moving into a career path that they want. That’s really the goal.”
Kasky’s surrogacy group found out about the job fair, and that’s when the two companies finally crossed paths.
Jeffrey A. Kasky: “We wanted to set up a booth or a table as a vendor at this particular event.”
Kasky says a woman carrying a child for a couple is paid anywhere from $25,000 to $35,000. WFTL said a group promoting surrogacy was not welcome at its women’s job fair.
Jeffrey A. Kasky: “Their excuse was that they only wanted what they called ‘traditional employers.'”
The radio station’s general manager says that’s true.
Steve Lapa: “Our position is really very simple. Number one: This is a career event. This isn’t a one-off, compensation event.”
Kasky doesn’t believe that’s the reason the conservative radio station won’t allow a surrogacy group into the job fair.
Jeffrey A. Kasky: “Conservatives, generally speaking, still seem to fear women’s rights and women’s reproductive rights.”
Lapa says, not true.
Steve Lapa: “I like fear. You know, from his position, everybody is entitled to their position. It really isn’t a fit with what we are trying to do at this event, and it’s really that simple.”
Kasky says it simply makes no sense for a job fair only for women to bar a company that only hires women.
Jeffrey A. Kasky: “I think that it’s a shame that women who might be interested in doing this service for other people don’t get exposed to this sort of thing, in the type of environment where they’re actually looking for some type of work.”
Kasky wants to pay women tens of thousands of dollars. WFTL wants to help women get jobs. But in this case, the two will not meet.
I’m Patrick Fraser, 7News.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Surrogacy Information
www.lifethroughsurrogacy.com
850 WFTL Women’s Job Fair
www.850wftl.com/pages/18432125.php